Philippine carriers suspend more Middle East flights amid war

Published Wed, Apr 8, 2026 · 11:03 AM

[MANILA] Philippine carriers have suspended more flights to the Middle East, as the airlines exercise caution amid continuing security risks due to the US-Iran conflict.

Budget airline Cebu Air, in a post on its Facebook account, said that it cancelled flights to and from Dubai until Apr 30, adding “further schedule adjustments may take place”.

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines, in a similar statement, said a temporary suspension of its flights to Dubai and Doha will be implemented until May 31, while flights to Riyadh will be halted until Apr 9, citing “potential risks to critical infrastructure and overall airspace safety”.

Many travellers on these routes are Filipinos working in the Middle East who rely on these flights to move between their workplaces and hometowns. The six-week-old war between the US and Iran has killed thousands of people and sparked a global energy crisis. The two countries on Tuesday (Apr 7) agreed to a two-week ceasefire.

The South-east Asian nation’s airlines last month announced reductions in both domestic and international flights because of soaring jet fuel prices. The government has said that it can intervene to help airlines secure jet fuel, reducing the risk of aircraft groundings as the global oil shortage triggered by the Iran war threatens air travel. BLOOMBERG